


Jaded Hearts

by collectivistCorvid



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Eventual Relationships, F/M, Gen, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-11-02 12:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10944780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/collectivistCorvid/pseuds/collectivistCorvid
Summary: What if Dualscar never killed the Dolorosa after all?





	1. Introductions

The imposing ship came to a halt and a heavy wooden gangplank banged down on the dock. Dualscar cut an impressive figure as he strode down, his violet cape billowing about him and his heavy spiked armor defining a commanding silhouette. Behind him his crew buzzed about the ship, coiling ropes, unloading crates, and taking care of other tasks. The dock bustled with activity but the crowd parted for Dualscar without a word as he strode towards land. A lithe blue figure slipped behind him and playfully tapped him on the shoulder. He whirled around, cape flaring out dramatically, and his face scrunched into a snarl. The snarl did not relax when he recognized the familiar face. “Mindfang, I should have known I would run into you in a place like this.”

“A warm welcome to you too Dualscar!” She pouted at him mockingly, “Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the ‘coon today?” He opened his mouth to respond when she interrupted him. “Anywayyyyyyyys, I’m not here to chat, I’d like to introduce you to someone.” She grinned naughtily and tugged on a leash she had wrapped around her hand. An elegant looking jadeblood emerged out of the crowd, walking stiffly and staring vacantly ahead as if she were in a daze. A careful onlooker might have noticed the slightest blue tinge to her eyes or the faint cobalt symbol on her forehead.

Dualscar stiffened as soon as he saw her. “That’s- She’s mine Mindfang. Hands off.” He snarled.

Mindfang responded with another insolent smirk. “Oh I don’t think she thinks so.” As if cued the jadeblood wrapped her arms around Mindfang, a pale imitation of an affectionate gesture. Mindfang leaned back into her arms and the jadeblood leaned down to kiss her. “I’ve been looking to fill my flushed quadrant, and she’s just such a pretty little thing, isn’t she?”

Dualscar glowered at her and stepped forward. “Give her back Mindfang, I was under direct orders to take her to-”

Mindfang pouted, “I suppose, after all I wouldn’t want to take anything from poor Dualscar, you’re barely getting by as it is.” Her voice dripped with fake sympathy as she made to hand the jadeblood’s leash to Dualscar.

“Fuck off, fucking spider bitch.” He said as he shoved her outstretched hand back at her. “Keep her, see if I care.”

She grinned smugly, her elongated canines poking out over her cobalt lips. “Why thank you, you really do know how to treat a lady well, don’t you Scar.” She leaned towards him and put a hand on his chest but he swatted her off and began to turn away. “Leaving so soon? I haven’t even gotten to the best news yet.”

“What is it?” Dualscar snapped at her, “Did your excessive asskissing curry you some favor with Dame Pissblood of the Barren Desert?”

  
“Why darling, if one of us is to be accused of kissing ass I hardly think it should be me, hm? Or perhaps we could appeal to your favorite fuchsiablood to give us a more definitive answer.” Seeing Dualscar’s frowning countenance she added, “Oh are you two having a bit of a lovers spat? Wait, silly me, I almost forgot she probably doesn’t even know your name.”

Dualscar’s face flushed slightly. “Spit it out Mindfang, I have more important things to attend to.”

“So impatient. Don’t you know the best things come to those who wait?” She said while playfully wrapping her arm around him. "Anyways I had just heard a little rumor, you know the Blackblood gang?"

"Of course." Replied Dualscar. The Blackbloods were a lowblooded group of thieves who were infamous for robbing and murdering highbloods.

"Wellllllll, a little lusus told me that the location of their hideout was found, apparently all it took was a few threats to the moirail of a captured gang member and they squealed. Apparently the highbloods that found it out are still busy bickering about how to divide up the loot there. I thought I'd swing by and take care of it for them." She smirked evilly. "Oh and don't worry, I'll be sure to save some for you, I know how much trouble you've been having just getting by after your fleet got expropriated." She laughed, "Though if I were the Condesce I would probably do the same thing if I had a thorn as annoying as you are in my side."

Dualscar shot her a hate filled frown. "That wasn't the reason that happened and you know it Mindfang. Careful, if you don't stop poking your nose into matters that don't concern you you might get it bitten off." He snapped his jaws at her as if he was going to actually bite her and Mindfang's hand unconsciously jerked up to cover her nose.

Ignoring Dualscar's laughter she replied, "Didn't your lusus ever teach you that if you keep making faces like that it'll stick that way?" She paused and examined his face. "Perhaps its a bit too late to warn you though." She tugged on the jadeblood's leash. "I can see you think you have better things to do. Very well, so do I." She slipped back into the crowd and after a moment Dualscar continued on his way.


	2. Entangled

The jadeblood walked stiffly as Mindfang escorted her off the dock and onto a nearby ship. Cobalt lettering on the side of the ship read ‘The Widow’. The decks were scrubbed, ropes were neatly coiled and stacked, and the crew stood around attentively, saluting to the Marquise as she walked past. The ship was neat and ordinary, if one ignored the blank gazes and mechanical movements of the crew. 

They made their way to the aft of the ship and Mindfang opened a cabin door to reveal a richly decorated room, furnished with a gleaming wooden table, crushed velvet chairs, and sheafs of finely drawn maps. 

Mindfang pulled out a chair and indecorously sprawled herself over it. The jadeblood moved to sit on the opposite side of the table but then paused, turned, and choose the seat closest to Mindfang.

“That’s better, now lean over and let me take a better look at you.” She took the jadeblood’s chin in her hand and quickly examined her skin, eyes, and teeth for blemishes or signs of sickness. Finding none she let her go. “Now, why don’t you tell me your name?” The Marquise asked, her voice soft but laced with a hint of something more sinister. 

The jadeblood flinched as if trying to resist an invisible force then became still again. “Dolorosa. I am called the Dolorosa.” 

“Dolorosa hm? My lovely jadeblood calls herself the Dolorosa. I like it, I think I’ll let you keep it.” Mindfang uncrossed her legs and gestured for Dolorosa come over. “I think it's time we got to know each other better, hm?” 

At her bidding the Dolorosa walked over, her steps stiff and mechanical. She paused for a moment and Mindfang furrowed her brows. “A fighter eh? No that won't do.” 

Dolorosa sat down on Mindfang’s lap as bidded and Mindfang used one hand to caress her face while the other pulled her closer. “Such a pretty little thing you are…” She kissed her, her lips leaving cobalt marks on the jadeblood’s neck as her other hand slowly undid the buttons on her dress. Mindfang paused as she reached the end of the buttons and went to pull the dress off of her shoulders. Clarity flashed in the jadeblood’s eyes as she pulled away from Mindfang. 

“Please… No, I don’t-” She suddenly stopped as her eyes glazed over again. 

Mindfang frowned. “You know, I'm starting to think you might be more trouble than you're worth.” Her face resumed its previous unpleasantly saccharine expression as she removed the dress, baring Dolorosa’s chest and back. “Don't worry though, I’ll take good care of you.” 

Some time later Mindfang and the Dolorosa emerged, the latter wearing a new black and cobalt dress that only barely covered the shallow jade scratches that ran down her back and the matching hickies on her neck and shoulders. Mindfang led her to a small cabin near her own. It contained a cot, a porthole window and a door only unlockable from the outside. “This is your new room, I have to leave now but don't worry, I'll visit you soon.” Mindfang smiled ominously and closed the door with a soft but decisive click. 


	3. Stagnation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dolorosa adjusts to life aboard Mindfang's ship. TW for implied rape.

And so began the Dolorosa’s new life. Nearly every night found her in the same cabin, alone and with the door locked. Nothing to keep her company but the gentle (or not so gentle) crash of the waves and the ever present fog in her mind, clouding all her memories, stilling her limbs and even her thoughts. Time in that state passed as if she were in a dream. Even the slight breaks in routine, the three times a night when the Marquise or another crew member came in to bring her food or the times when the captain, seeking company of the more intimate sort, sought her out, simply passed by as if nothing had changed from the hours she spent sitting on her cot, staring out of the porthole.  

Times like that were okay. When she was under Mindfang’s control it simply wasn’t possible to feel unhappy with her current situation, it wasn’t possible to feel anything at all really. It was when Mindfang left that the true horror began. Mindfang’s control started to weaken the moment she left the ship, but it only really became noticeable when there were a few miles of space between them. Slowly, ever so slowly, the fog in her mind began to peel away at the edges, leaving gaps where she could hear something in her begging to be let out, feel hints of memories skittering around the edge of her limited consciousness, instincts screaming at her to  _ get away get away GET AWAY run please run just do something ANYTHING. _ During times like these, when she came into some awareness of her surroundings, she would find herself in a corner, curled into a tight ball with her face and front of her dress damp with tears and no memory of ever getting up. 

She began to beg for the sweet release of Mindfang’s return. No matter what she did to her, and what she did… well, some of the Dolorosa’s worst memories were the most recent, but it was better than being alone. Alone with herself. Alone with any sense of reason. She wanted Mindfang, she wanted her as close as possible and focused only on her so her control never wavered. She wanted her to push away the creeping sense of unease with her situation, the nagging doubt that had begun to seep into her fogged mind. Who she was, the memories of another life that haunted her nightmares, both waking and sleeping, of that proud, stiff-backed jadeblood that refused to stand down no matter what, they didn’t matter, she just wanted away from the agony that any freedom brought. 

Weeks passed like that, days and nights just slipping by like a fish through the murky waters of her mind, buying her serenity at the price of her body. It wasn’t like she had a choice either way though, gradually even during the times when Mindfang was away, her mind quieted, recognizing the futility of her situation and just waiting for the sweet drug of oblivion. She became used to this new rhythm of her life, when Mindfang was with her she was at peace with it, when Mindfang was away she had given up hope. The two felt surprisingly similar really.

Months passed and she could barely even feel the presence of the fog in her mind anymore. As time had passed this had become her new normal, that confidant jadeblood that had once haunted her memories had become a legend to her, a myth. Her current situation was the only thing that felt real, even the first weeks of her new life, the period marked by an overwhelming heaviness of mind, body, and soul that couldn’t be shaken even when Mindfang was near, started to feel fake. This, this life where Mindfang was the was the center of her universe, where Mindfang was her savior, was the only thing that mattered. She felt tranquil. 

Another day passed, the normal routine of waking, eating, and waiting for Mindfang’s presence ticked by like well maintained clockwork. This would just be another day of many, nothing ever happened, why should today be an exception? Why then, when she felt the distinctive clash of two boats hitting one another, heard the sounds of metal hitting metal and screams of pain, smelled the sharp odor of blood, was she not surprised? Had she just lost the ability to feel surprised? She was quickly disproven on that front though, as the sound of cabin doors being forced open, and cabins being searched culminated in her door, the door that, for what felt like all of her life, had only opened for food or for Mindfang, was violently kicked open to reveal a towering, finned troll dressed in all black. Time seemed to slow down as the seadweller, apparently having found what she was looking for, turned to call for another troll in the invading party. 

The troll that answered her call dwarfed even her, and what she could see of his face in the low light was covered with scars and his finned ears looked shredded at the edges. He was carrying a large bag and his heavily muscled form was covered in imposing spiked armor. She had just noted the dramatic shape of his horns, like pointed waves, when he grabbed her. Stunned as she was, even if she had control over her own body she couldn’t have fought back as he lifted her with ease and pushed back one of her sleeves to make a long thin cut along her arm. She watched as he smeared her blood on the floor and carried her to the side of the ship, leaving a conspicuous trail of blood. The whirlwind of activity disoriented her, everything that happened seemed to occur as a separate event, a brief snapshot, not blending together into one cohesive timeline as it should. She heard Mindfang shrieking, and if she weren’t so sure that it was Mindfang she was hearing, she would have thought she sounded panicked. She was abruptly shoved into a large bag and all she could process was the sound of something being thrown overboard: the other bag she had noticed earlier? And another scream, this time undoubtedly panicked, and undoubtedly Mindfang. 

She felt herself being carried somewhere, onto another ship and into another life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! sorry for the huge delay on this chapter, hope you enjoyed it! i'll try to get chapter 4 up sometime in the next few weeks.


End file.
